Austin Next

Our region not only builds futuristic technologies, but they are deployed and tested here as well. More and more when you hear autonomous vehicles, rockets, drones, and personal flying vehicles you think Austin. Today we are speaking with Brad Bentz, Co-Founder and Partner at ATX Partners a local venture firm that recently raised $150M for their 3rd fund, and now has over $300M under management. ATX’s tagline is “investing in people pioneering the future,” so we thought who better to talk about how this superpower drives What's Next Austin. The future is now and What's next Austin?

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

With the changing nature of work, new regional ecosystems flourishing, and massive domestic migration the demands to our infrastructure are changing and evolving. One of the most fundamental parts of this equation is the question of how we move people and goods from point A to point B. We have seen a surge in new technologies such as mass electrification and driverless vehicles and new modalities like delivery drones and even tunnels. Austin is becoming an epicenter for transportation tech both in terms of innovation and deployment. Today we talk with Meg Merritt and Joseph Kopser about where this industry has been, where its going, and how it fits into the broader growth of the region.

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Austin Next Links

• Austin Next Website
• Austin Next Twitter
• Austin Next LinkedIn
• Michael Scharf LinkedIn
• Jason Scharf LinkedIn

Our music is “Tech Talk” by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons 4.0 License 

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

Texas has long been a home for the semiconductor industry. I guess it started with a little company named Texas Instruments, but today in the Austin area, we have Samsung, NXP, Micron, AMD, and Intel, But, this growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum, it takes a lot of people doing a lot of work. So today, we’re going to take a deeper look into this part of our ecosystem and try to better understand where Austin’s semiconductor industry is coming from and where it’s going. 

SEMI is the international organization representing semiconductor manufacturers and joining us today is David Anderson. At the time of this recording, David was President, SEMI Americas. His responsibilities covered all programs in the region. But more importantly he managed and nurtured relationships with SEMI as well as with local association and constituents in industry, government, and academia. David came to SEMI with a lot of experience, having held positions at Fairchild Semiconductor, National Semiconductor, the Semiconductor Industry Suppliers Association, and SEMATECH, where he helped launch their global initiative. David has moved onto a new position at NY Creates, and we wish him well.

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

Capital is the fuel that drives the innovation ecosystem. Grants can make up an important component in funding and catalyzing innovation. The biggest source of grants is of course the US government through numerous agencies and programs. Today we talk with Elizabeth (Ela) Mirowski a Program Director for the SBIR/STTR program at the National Science Foundation. We talk about the programs available to small companies, how the NSF is evolving, and how Austin fits into all of this. 

Grants and other nondilutive funding are key for...What's next Austin?

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

Today we’re going to expand our focus a bit, and look at the entire state of Texas, not just Austin. We want to dig into what has brought so much attention, and new people to the Lone Star State, how it’s impacting business, culture, and innovation. The concept of a super-region isn’t new. But the idea of a Texas Triangle is something new and unique. And that’s what we explored with Ed Curtis, Founder and CEO of YTexas. All of Texas is accelerating...What's next Austin?

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

We have gone deep and we have gone wide in looking at the sectors and factors that drive the growth of the Austin region. Today we are going to take a holistic look at the entire metro from San Macros to Taylor and Bastrop to Dripping Springs. This super-region is powering forward into the next great innovation epicenter. To understand what is at the heart of this region, what is bringing new people and companies, and what this evolution looks like we have Laura Huffman, President and CEO of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. All of Austin powers...What's next Austin?

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

A common plank in ecosystem development is having a strong research-focused university churning out discoveries and intellectual property that can then be spinout our licensed into the private sector. In Austin, we have one such university with UT, but that movement of technology from academia to industry is not magic. Tech transfer organizations sit at the crux of this bridge trying to balance the needs of the university with the needs of their startup and corporate partners. Today we have Les Nichols, Director of the Office of Technology Commercialization or OTC at UT Austin to talk about how this is done, the challenges they face, and the role this function plays in our innovation ecosystem . Innovations from academia help drive…What’s next Austin?

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

Work is changing, whether that is how we work (remote, hybrid, in-person), the tools we use, or how we govern these organizations. One of the superpowers of Austin is that "We are living in the future" and in this case, it means the future of work is being developed, tested, and deployed here first. To understand how Austin is the source of these trends and tools, we interview Razat Gaurav, CEO of Austin-based Planview. We talk about their place in the region, how they are creating these new platforms, and the future of Austin. How we work is...What's next Austin?

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

We are changing up the format this week as we are flying without a net and without a guest. This time is just a conversation between our hosts. Jason had the opportunity to attend SXSW. Hear one point of view on how Austin was represented at the festival. What we learned, what caught our eye, and how we are already thinking about SXSW 2023.   Here’s how SXSW influenced...What's Next Austin? 

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack

We are hitting the road again and learning about all the other "emerging" ecosystems. This time we are heading to the Southeast and making pitstops in Atlanta and Nashville. We are joined by Blake Patton, Managing Partner Tech Square Ventures, and Brian Moyer, President and CEO at the Greater Nashville Technology Council to discuss their regions. We discuss their history, what's the secret sauce that is driving their growth, and how are they adapting to the changing dynamics of work and innovation. What's next everywhere else!

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Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
Ecosystem Metacognition Substack